Greeting card



Jan. 13, A, 1 KAUFMAN 2,269,589

Patented Jan. 13, 1942 UN'TE D STATES ATEN T OFFICE 6 Claims.

My invention relates to a greeting card designed to be sent through the mails and to be associated, when received, with an electric bulb, suchas on a Christmas tree illuminating outt, whereby the greetings on the card are shown up in an attractive and ornamental manner, `and the primary object of my invention is to provide simplicity, low cost, and sales appeal in an `arrangement of the character indicated.

Other .important objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description taken in connection with the appended drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown preferred embodiments of my invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a rear elevational view of the preferred embodiment partly broken away to show the adhesive by which the arm -is connectedto the lcard per se.

Figure 2 is a left hand end elevational view of Figure 1 showing the arm in a partly extended condition.

Figure 3 is a rear perspective view showing the arm in operative position and associated with the socket and bulb of a Christmas lightor the like.

Figure glis an `enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view taken through 4Figure 3 to show in detail the association of the arm with the bulb and socket of the light.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan y view of the arm.

Figure 6 is a, view of another embodiment similar to Figure 1 except that the arm is secured in place by metallic fasteners instead ofv adhesive.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 of a further embodiment of the invention wherein the arm is integral with the card and wherein the intelligence is on the same rside of the card as the arm in contrast to the arrangement of Figure 3 wherein the intelligence is on the opposite side of the card from the arm.

Figure 8 is a yfragmentary view similar to Figure 7 of a still further embodiment wherein the arm ls lapped around the lower edge of the card.

Figure 9 is an end elevational view of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary elevationa1 view showing the arm integral with the lower edge of the card.

Figure 11 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken through Figure 10.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 generally designates the embodiment of my invention as set forth in Figures 1 through 5, inclusive, the said embodiment comprising a suitable p-asteboard or other material card 6 and an elongated rearwardly projecting cardboard or other suitable material arm 'I which lis secured to `project in a horizontal .position rearwardly from the card 6 to the back of which it is ysecured by adhesive or the like 8 to bend rearwardly in a horizontal position on the dotted line indicated by the numeral 9 from a position lying closely along the back of the card B, in which condition `the card is mailed in an envelope or other enclosure.

The rear end portion of the arm 'I is characterized by the presence of a circular opening I@ which has secured circumferentially with respect thereto on the top of the arm, an fannulus II of light weight and inexpensive form which is stiff enough to lend reinforcement to this area of the arm. The annulus lII has radially inwardly. projecting circumferentially spaced lingers I2 which hold down inplace :a smaller diameter cardboard or similar material Iannulus I3 which has closely circumferentially spaced radially inwardly projecting lingers I4 for a purpose to be indicated.

The receiver of the greeting card 5, upon removing the same from the envelope or vother cover (not shown) bends the arm I down along the line 9 and then applies lthe arm 'I over the top of the bulb socket I5 of the Christmas light or the like which is ygenerally designated` I6, and then applies the base' of the bulb I'I through the opening defined by the `inner ends vof the fingers I4 and screws the bulb into place in the socket I5. As the bulb moves into the socket the flaring sides I8 of the bulb, being larger in diameter than the opening inthe annulus I3, bear down upon the ngers I 4 and bend the same downwardly and slightly in a radially outward .direction, so as thereby to exert tension on the annulus I3 and hence on the annulus Il andthe arm 'Lwhiohis somewhatopposed by the upper end of the socket I5, so that the arm 'I is suliiciently securely mounted on and associated with the Christmas tree light or the like so that the greeting card is securely carried bythe light, whether the same be in place on a Christmas tree or on some other support, in a vertical position such as shown in Figure 3. In the present arrangement intelligence designated by the numeral I9, such as the words 0f greeting or the painted pcture, are on the front side of the card 6 so as to be shown up by the illuminated bulb Il at the rear of the card.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 7, this differs from that described immediately above only in the fact that the intelligence I8a is located on the back of the card 6a so as to be directly illuminated by the bulb, in which arrangement the back of the card becomes the front thereof.

The embodiment shown in Figure 6 of the drawings is similar in all respects to the above described embodiments except that the arm 1b is secured like the arm 1 and the arm 'la by clips or metallic fasteners 20 traversing the card and the lower or inner end of the arm instead of by means of adhesive.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 7, the arm 'la is formed integrally on the lower edge of the sheet 6a and lies along the side of the sheet 6a opposite that on which the intelligence is provided.

The embodiment shown in Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings is similar in all respects to the preceding embodiments except that the arm 1c has a portion 2l which laps around the lower edge of the card 6c and overlaps the opposite side of the card as indicated by the numeral 22, in which position the portions 2l and 22 are secured by suitable adhesive or other securing means.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 10 and 11 differs from the preceding embodiments only in the fact that the arm 1d instead of being attached in some manner to the card 5d is formed as an integral part of the lower edge 23 of the said card.

Although I have shown and described herein preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be definitely understood that I do not Wish to limit the application of the invention thereto, except as may be required by the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A card comprising a relatively stiff sheet, a relatively stiff arm lying along one side of said sheet, said arm having one end connected to said one side of the sheet and said arm having a hole therein adjacent its other end, an electric lamp bulb and socket held in said hole, said arm being arranged to be bent away from the side of said sheet to occupy a horizontal position substantially at right angles to said sheet.

2. A greeting card comprising a relatively stiff sheet having a greating formed on one side thereof, a relatively stiff arm lying along one side of said sheet, said arm having its lower end secured to a point immediately adjacent the lower edge of said sheet, said arm being arranged to be bent downwardly away from the side of said sheetl to occupy a horizontal position substantially at right angles to said sheet, said arm having its free end portion formed with an opening to supportably receive a vertical support.

3. A greeting card comprising a relatively stiff sheet having a greeting on one side thereof, a relatively stiff arm lying along one side of said sheet, said arm having one end thereof secured to a point immediately adjacent one edge of said sheet, said arm being arranged to be bent away from the side of said sheet to occupy a horizontal position substantially at right angles to said sheet together with a lamp consisting of a vertical socket and a bulb having a reduced base insertible in said socket, said arm having its free end portion formed with an opening to receive said reduced base of the bulb with the arm overlying the top of the socket and clamped thereon by downward pressure of the bulb on the top of said arm.

4. A greeting card comprising a relatively stiff sheet having a greeting on one side thereof, a relatively stiff arm lying along one side of said sheet, said arm having one end thereof secured to a point immediately adjacent one edge of said sheet, said arm being arranged to be bent away from the side of said sheet to occupy a horizontal position substantially at right angles to said sheet together with a lamp consisting of a vertical socket and a bulb having a reduced base insertible in said socket, said arm having its free end portion formed with an opening to receive said reduced base of the bulb with the arm overlying the top of the socket and clamped thereon by downward pressure of the bulb on the top of said arm, a first reinforcing member secured on the top of said arm around said opening, a second relatively flexible member resting on said first member around said opening, means on said first member holding said second member in place, said second member having flexible laterally inwardly located portions positioned laterally inwardly of the inner edge of said first member, said fiexible portions being arranged to be tensioned downwardly by said bulb.

5. A greeting card comprising a relatively stiff sheet having a greeting on one side thereof, a relatively stiff arm lying along one side of said sheet, said arm having one end thereof secured to a point immediately adjacent one edge of said sheet, said arm being arranged to be bent away from the side of said sheet to occupy a horizontal position substantially at right angles to said sheet together with a lamp consisting of ya vertical socket and a bulb having a reduced base insertible in said socket, said arm having its free end portion formed with an opening to receive said reduced base of the bulb with the arm overlying the top of the socket and clamped thereon by downward pressure of the bulb on the top of said arm, a rst reinforcing member secured on the top of said arm around said opening, a second relatively flexible member resting on said first member around said opening, means on said first member holding said second member in place, said second member having flexible laterally inwardly located portions positioned laterally inwardly of the inner edge of said first member, said flexible portions being arranged to be tensioned downwardly by said bulb, said second member consisting of an annulus and said flexible portions consisting of circumferentially spaced, radially inwardly projecting fingers.

6. A greeting card according to claim 2 wherein said arm has a portion bent around the lower edge of said sheet to engage the opposite side of the sheet from said arm and secured in place thereon.

ALAN J. KAU'FMAN. 

